MArchMaster of Architecture

Our program emphasizes research in four areas, each linked to a lab that sponsors advanced courses, projects, programming, and exhibitions. While distinct in focus, the labs frequently collaborate on interdisciplinary initiatives. As a graduate student, you will have the opportunity to work closely with one or more of the labs:

Experiment with cutting-edge tools to realize your architectural ideas

We prize learning through making. At CCA you will learn to use state-of-the-art tools for digital design and fabrication. Whether it’s building a robot to create drawings, or using 3D printers and machines to output architecture, our curriculum prioritizes hands-on experimentation.

Digital craft and prototyping facilities

You’ll have 24/7 access to a range of facilities for material experimentation, prototyping, and fabrication, including:

Our globally recognized faculty leverage their experience as active practitioners, scholars, and researchers to guide students from core classes through advanced studios and seminars. At CCA, we value exceptional teaching. You will work closely with faculty, thanks to our small class sizes and emphasis on cultivating a supportive and collaborative learning community.

The Master of Architecture program has an impressive track record of alumni who launch award-winning design practices, work with international architecture offices, and lead the design of iconic public buildings. Trained in both pragmatic skills and the ability to broadly speculate, they find opportunities to practice architecture at many scales, throughout the world. While many stay in the Bay Area, working for renowned architecture firms such as Snøhetta and Gensler or technology companies like Google and Airbnb, others take their knowledge back home as leaders in the profession.

The Master of Architecture program welcomes applicants who have earned a bachelor degree in a field other than architecture, as well as those who hold a non-professional degree in architecture (such as a BA or BS).

Applicants with undergraduate architecture degrees may request advanced standing, allowing them to complete the MArch program in as little as two years. Advanced standing status is granted at the discretion of the admissions committee, following a review of the applicant’s transcript and portfolio. Partial advanced standing may also be granted. Admission and placement decisions are based on the strength of your overall application, portfolio, and transcripts.

Start your application

You’ll apply to CCA and submit all required application materials via SlideRoom. Afterward, you may be contacted for an interview with a faculty member as part of the application process. Being selected for an interview doesn’t indicate applicant status or increase or decrease an applicant’s chances of being admitted into their desired graduate program. Interviews are conducted at the program’s discretion and are used to gain more insight into an application.

MArch application requirements

• Application and $70 nonrefundable application fee
  To be completed and submitted on SlideRoom.
  
• Resume/curriculum vitae
  Please outline your educational and professional background and relevant experiences and activities, including community work. Resumes/CVs must be in PDF document format.
  
• Two recommendation letters
  You’ll request two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources in SlideRoom by entering the contact information for your recommenders/references. They’ll then receive an automated email from SlideRoom with instructions for uploading their letter of recommendation.
  
• Unofficial college transcripts
  You are required to provide your complete undergraduate academic history. Students who have already taken graduate courses are encouraged to submit those transcripts, too. For international applicants, all transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation.
  
  Please provide an unofficial transcript from the college where you will receive or have received your bachelor’s degree, as well as unofficial transcripts for all other undergraduate coursework. Unofficial transcripts will be used for review purposes.
  
  Once admitted and enrolled, all students will need to submit official, sealed transcripts showing the completion of a bachelor’s degree to our graduate admissions office by August 1 of the fall semester they begin enrollment at CCA.
  
• Proof of English proficiency (international applicants only)
  Review and plan to meet our English proficiency requirements for graduate students.
  
• Portfolio
  Your portfolio should demonstrate creative achievements and should be treated as a design opportunity. Assemble your portfolio into one PDF document no longer than 30 pages and no larger than 10 MB. You may provide links to relevant external materials (videos, websites, etc.) within the PDF.
  
  Candidates without an architectural background should use the portfolio to demonstrate their potential in one or more of the following areas: visual and spatial sensibilities, visual and material explorations, and synthetic/conceptual thinking.
  
  Candidates for advanced standing should demonstrate clear evidence of their architectural education and level of ability. In addition to academic and professional work, candidates are encouraged to submit examples of personal work as well.
  
• Personal essay
  In a personal essay, submitted as a PDF, write 500 to 1,000 words about what motivates you to pursue a degree in architecture and how this specifically relates to one or more of our program’s strengths:
  
  • Integration of artistic, critical, and material approaches to architecture
  • Alternative models of fabrication and practice
  • Contemporary investigations of culture, media, technology, and their relationship to architectural production
  • Position within a multidisciplinary art and design school in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area

For prospective student inquiries, including questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us